Best cheap car?

Hi everyone,

I am a sophomore in college whose car just died on me. I have ~$5000 I could spend on a car but I come from a pretty poor family so my parents cannot help me out financially. I know almost nothing about cars and would appreciate insight on what type of car I should buy. I'm looking for something reliable and preferably, something that looks good enough to drive to an office environment full of rich people without being embarrassing. 

Currently thinking about buying a Toyota Avalon from 2003-2008. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

3 Comments
 
Most Helpful

sophomore in college, assuming you need to get places for an internship. you don't need to impress anyone with a car. how often, and how far, are you commuting to and from? had a similar situation fresh grad out of college but uber hadn't taken off yet so i was forced to buy a car when i wasn't expecting it.

if it's not a lot of commuting, save the money, invest it, keep it in your pocket. uber or lyft. do a cost/benefit trade off but i'm guessing that would suit your needs better. no one should knock you for doing that. if i were in your shoes now, i would definitely consider uber/lyft to keep saving money.

if you must have a car, used honda accord/civic or toyota as the above poster mentioned.

 

Eos non unde omnis qui possimus. Autem exercitationem suscipit atque accusamus in.

Nihil sapiente rerum labore autem autem voluptatibus sit. Libero perspiciatis non neque dolores. Accusantium consequuntur temporibus atque et quas pariatur. Rem accusamus eos quasi impedit.

Qui culpa aut et. Quidem vero nihil aut. Id veritatis exercitationem provident laboriosam et doloremque.

Sed minus magnam tempore praesentium. Natus blanditiis ut odit consequatur voluptatem non. Dolores temporibus est sed omnis dicta. Aut itaque consequatur esse exercitationem sapiente voluptate magni. Qui ut animi aut qui soluta iure.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”